The Connoisseur
by SnowChildMemoires
Summary: On a bustling, cold Saturday, Charlie Bucket wanders off into the city and stumbles upon something quite unexpected. There along a narrow road, lined with houses old and plain, hangs an ornate sign lit up by a simple lantern. The Floating Leaf. Oh what awaits him inside.
1. Extraordinary Happenings

I had this sudden urge to write a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story. I had thought about attempting this fandom for years. Finally worked up the inspiration to post something.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Extraordinary Happenings**

It was the first day of fall when Charlie Bucket wandered outside of the factory gates and out among the streets of the city. Two years had passed since he had found the golden ticket and subsequently won his place as future heir of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Since then, it had been a whirlwind of confectionary sweets and family dinners. Willy Wonka had taken a great liking to his family, and the sentiment was equally, if not more, returned. But as wonderful as his life inside the factory had become, his parents still made it a point to have their son venture out into the city. And as much as his parents loved Willy, they were absolutely determined to keep Charlie from falling into the same hermit lifestyle. Charlie needed friends. A time to play as normal children do. And so he stood in front of the now locked gates, wondering what adventure would be in store for him today.

The first chill of the season had set into the air, and the feel of the wind had changed. Wrapping his coat more securely around his chest, Charlie pulled up the collar over his face and started to shuffle down the damp pavement. It was a Saturday, and the streets were busy as usual. The young teen weaved his way through the crowds, trying to remain mindful of where he was going. The shops were packed and the crowd noise was a little overwhelming.

Over the past two years, Charlie had explored the city shops, enjoying the presence of others. The experience had changed much from his childhood. Whereas before he could only look at things, now he felt less shy about exploring and touching the many items that lined shop shelves. Ever since his family moved into the factory, their financial situation met with good fortune. He could now buy something on occasion. A nice sweater. A good book. The stigma of being poor had slowly faded and now Charlie had to deal with the troubles of being the heir to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

Things had calmed down over time so wandering the city was less of a daunting task, but on occasion one would stop and point out,"Hey, isn't he that Charlie fellow?"

He didn't mind it. But sometimes, the crowds did get a little crazy. Regardless of whether it be because of him or simply because it was the weekend. Today, it would be one of those days. Looking around, Charlie attempted to find a more open spot to stand around and catch his footing. He took a turn down a narrow street that looked more like an alleyway. There were small, older houses lined along it with small picket fences. As he made his way down the street, one house in particular caught his eye.

Well, perhaps not so much the house. It looked no different than the rest of them. But rather, the intricate, wooden sign that hung from its porch is what really drew him in. It was green with gold lining and shaped like a leaf.

The sign reminded him of something out of a storybook. Like the ornamental first letter of a paragraph. Once upon a time...In the beginning. It spoke of something great. Something special. The name simply said The Floating Leaf. With the tilt of his head, he had made up his mind. Charlie pulled the little latch and opened the gate, walking through the small garden and up the steps to the porch. A soft, glowing lantern hung near the entrance, and gold numbers were bolted into the heavy set door decorated with flowers, insects and birds. Taking one final, cold breath, Charlie pushed the door open and let himself in. What met his eyes, took his breath away.

On the outside, it was a quaint little shop. But inside, it was like magic. For a room so small, it felt huge. It was enchanting. The entire room was lit up with twinkle lights both white and green. Tiffany lamps decorated the ceilings and walls. And books and trinkets lined every nook and cranny on the bookshelves. There were rows upon rows of glass jars filled with colourful bits of earthy things. A warm fire was nestled in the corner with fluffy couch chairs and blankets. Coffee tables held doilies and centerpieces made of flowers and garlands. Lush french rugs lay over caramel coloured, wooden floors. And the smell. The whole place smelled of herbs and spices. Some sweet and delicious, others bold and strong. Charlie had never seen anything like it. And he had seen a lot over the last two years. But this. This was like a scene from a fairytale come to life. It was beautiful.

Charlie shut the door and slowly walked into the room, pulling his scarf from around his neck and stuffing it into his coat pocket. He lightly ran his hand across the thick frame of the built-in bookshelf in the wall, and he stared up with his mouth hanging open. There were twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling, weaved into ivy that was hanging from a trellis. It looked like a forest canopy. Butterflies scattered here and there, the colours of their wings exotic and bright.

Charlie was shaken from his reverie as the sound of a bell twinkling against a moving door caught his attention. And then he heard a soft voice.

"Welcome to The Floating Leaf. How may I help you, today?"

A smile broke out on Charlie's face. There now stood a sweet young woman behind the counter, her hair tied back in a neat bun and a frilly apron over a simple dress. She reminded him a little of his mum, and immediately he felt at home.

"Hello." He greeted her politely, remembering his manners. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but what is this place?"

She smiled with a twinkle in her eye and laughed lightly. "Mind? Why on Earth would I mind such a good question!?"

Lifting up one part of the counter, she gracefully made her way around and faced him, holding her arms out at the room before her. "This-is my world. My life's work. My baby, if you will. My tea shop." Walking out to the center of the floor, she did a single twirl and held her arms up. "Welcome."

Charlie laughed, his smile never leaving his face. "It's lovely."

"Why thank you, my good sir!" She swept one arm forward and did an exaggerated bow. Her head popped up, and she winked at him. "So to what do I owe this pleasure, Mr-."

She was sweet and kind, perhaps a hint whimsical. He liked that. "Bucket." But quickly held his hand up in a 'please wait' motion, eagerly saying, "But please, call me Charlie."

She beamed and grabbed his outstretched hand, making it into a handshake. "It's a pleasure, my dear." Releasing him, she stepped back towards the counter and motioned him to join her. "Now, since this is your first time, naturally, I must offer you a spot of tea. And a good one at that."

She paused for a moment, looking rather concerned. "You do drink tea, do you not?"

He laughed and smiled at her, nodding eagerly. "Yes, my whole family does."

"Splendid!" She lifted her hand to her chin and swept the other over the many jars lining the counter. Taking a moment to pull out a pair of glasses, she put them on and leaned closer to the jars. "Now, what to choose. What to choose." She turned her head slightly to Charlie, her eyes pointed towards him. "Tell me, Charlie, what brought you to my store this fine Saturday?"

He had placed his hands upon the counter, looking at all of the jars with her. At her question, he tilted his head in thought. "Well, I was cold. And then, I was curious." Charlie nodded towards the front door. "I think it was the sign that really interested me. The house looked like any other along the street, but the sign was a complete contrast. So bright green and detailed. The gold trim and the obscure name. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I read it. So I felt compelled to walk inside and find out."

"Ah yes. Well, I think a curious tea for a curious young man will do." Immediately, she began picking up jars and gathering them in her arms. She made her way towards one of the coffee tables closest to the fire place. Next to the fire, a black kettle rested with steam slowly seeping from the spout. "Come along, Charlie. Let us make you a fine tea to rest your cold bones and satisfy that curiosity of yours."

He felt excited at the thought. It reminded him of home and his inventions. He did not know what to expect, but he was eager to discover what she would make. It made him think of the first time Willy had helped him invent the raspberry kites with licorice. Quickly, Charlie plopped down next to her on the cushiony couch, leaning in closer to see what she was doing.

She popped open the jars and held one out to him. "Take a whiff, my dear. And tell me what you think."

Taking the jar, he held it close to his nose if a bit hesitantly. The contents were black as night and looked a little unsettling. But when the smell floated up to his nose, it was like heaven. Vanilla. Warm and inviting. He smiled up at her in excitement. "It smells wonderful. I love vanilla."

Her face lit up. "And it's of the utmost quality, I can assure you!" Pulling more jars towards him, she waved her hand out and offered him to try the others. Without hesitation, he began in earnest. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Clove. She called them the three C's. As he continued to sniff the contents, she stood up and headed to one of the book shelves where a slew of glass containers were displayed. She grabbed one shaped like a kettle and another that looked like a beaker with a funnel shaped strainer. Lastly, she picked up an ornate tea cup with saucer and placed them all on the table. She opened the largest jar and pulled out pieces of crushed leaves, placing them in the steeper. Then, she added the vanilla, cardamom and a hint of clove.

"I truly believe you will like this, my dear."

Moving over to the fireplace, she grabbed the kettle with potholders and began to pour the heated water into the glass kettle-like container. She set the hot, black pot back on its stand near the fire and proceeded to pick up the glass one.

Charlie was curious. He had never seen tea prepared this way before. The object looked like a glass beaker, and the ingredients sat atop it, separated by a metal strainer. He watched as she carefully lifted the glass kettle. She held it with one hand, and her other hand rested on her wrist as if to steady it. Then softly, slowly she began to pour. It was the strangest sight. She used her body in a circular motion to pour the water over the ingredients in a pattern. The entire time, she held her breath.

The steam rose up first, and then the sweetest combination of smells followed. His eyes were wide as he sniffed the air. Did he smell chocolate? His excitement increased ten fold as he sniffed again. It was! Charlie could not help but wonder if it would taste of it too. Anticipation welled up inside him as she finished pouring and picked up the now tea filled beaker, swirling the contents just as carefully.

She held the glass up against the light of a lamp and hm'd to herself. Nodding once, she unscrewed the top of the beaker, removing the strainer, and poured the liquid contents into the teacup. She held it almost reverently as she handed it to Charlie.

He took it with a smile and a sincere thank you. Slowly, he held it under his nose and inhaled. "It smells wonderful!"

She smiled knowingly and motioned for him to drink it. "Trust me, the taste will surprise you."

Blowing on the top for a few seconds, Charlie then took a sip. The hot liquid flowed into his mouth like something rich and flavourful. His eyes widened in astonishment as the dominant taste flooded his senses. "It does taste like chocolate!"

Her smile stretched across her face, true satisfaction in her eyes. "It's the tea leaves."

"What!? Chocolate tea? How did you make this?" Excitement flared in him at the thought. All he could think was 'Willy will love this!' It was extraordinary.

She laughed and shook her head. "I didn't make it. It was already made that way. It's called Yingdehong. I found it in a small village in China many years ago."

Charlie was overwhelmed. Who would have thought? Chocolate and tea of all things! And the amazing part was that it worked. The tea was sweet all on its own, but the natural vanilla and spices brought out a fresh taste to it, balancing out the rich flavours. He held the cup close to his body, feeling the warmth over take him.

He turned to her, eager to know more. "Please, tell me about this village. About this tea. It's extraordinary." And she did. She told him about her years of travels, searching out new flavours and rare combinations. How she spent her days mixing ingredients and finding flavours for every occasion. And Charlie told her about the factory, about his love of inventing. They shared their past successes and failures. Time passed and great stories were shared. And as Charlie sat there on that couch with the kind shop owner, he felt a sense of peace. It was nice to find another kindred spirit. Someone other than his family and Willy. It was nice to have another friend.

Suddenly, an ornate grandfather clock chimed against the wall. The tune counting out the hour. Charlie felt a bit of panic as he realized the time. "Oh no, I'm late! My mother must be beside herself."

Immediately, Charlie placed the teacup down and stood up. "I'm terribly sorry for having to leave like this."

The shopkeeper got up from the couch and smiled reassuringly. "Don't you mind little old me. Your mother must be worried sick. I apologize for keeping you so late."

Charlie faltered and denied vehemently, "Oh no! It was wonderful!"

Grasping her hand, he shook it enthusiastically, her body jolting at the force behind it. In the back of his mind, Charlie took note that he was starting to pick up on some of Willy's habits.

"Perhaps, I will see you again soon?" She laughed as she held her glasses, trying to keep them steady. It was an open question, one he intended to fully answer.

"Oh yes! Most definitely!" Finally, he released her hand and took his scarf out, wrapping it tightly around his neck. He made to run out the door, but halted and spun back around when he realized something important. "I'm sorry, I never asked your name."

She smiled softly, laughing goodnaturedly. "I'm Evelyn. Evelyn Grace."

He returned her smile, genuine happiness on his face. "Thank you for the lovely tea, Ms. Grace."

She had walked over to the counter at this point and placed the objects onto it. "Anytime, sweetheart. You feel free to stop by whenever it fancies you. My door is always open."

And with that she leaned against the counter, arms crossed as he continued to stand there. She cleared her throat and raised her brow when he had yet to move. "You should head home, Charlie. Your mother is waiting."

That seemed to snap him out of it. And with an "Oh!" and a quick turn, he was out the door, waving his goodbyes on the way.

As Charlie ran through the streets, all he could think about was next Saturday-when he would return to The Floating Leaf.

* * *

If you have a moment, please let me know what you think. :)

Thanks for reading. See you next chapter.


	2. Troubling Winds

**Chapter 2: Troubling Winds**

* * *

The weather had been a whirlwind of confusion over the past month. The temperatures swayed from extremely cold to humidly warm. Evelyn sighed as she dried another porcelain teacup with a fluffy, embroidered hand towel. Her Saturday regulars had all but dwindled since the season's change. Too much uncertainty brought on many illnesses. Mrs. Jones, one of her most popular guests, had not visited in over two weeks due to a rather nasty cold. Thankfully, some of Evelyn's customers requested orders to be mailed directly to their homes. But not enough to keep things afloat.

It was a sad state of affairs. When she first arrived in the city, Evelyn was ready to settle down and finally start her own business. So many years of travel and prior to that, two illustrious apprenticeships in China and Italy had given her all of the confidence in the world. In the beginning, everything was perfect. Business was soaring and everyday a new person was introduced to her brightly flavoured world of spices and herbs. But then the economy dropped out, and the banks began to fail. Her life savings, over 25 years of sweat and tears saved specifically for her dream, was lost. She had spent the last two years fighting with the state, but to no such luck. The money was gone, and she was left with too many bills and not enough capital to fix the things that needed her most immediate attention.

Walking over to the china cabinet etched into the wall, she pulled open the glass door ornately decorated with gold trim and placed the delicate, pink flower shaped teacup and saucer into the display case. A sad smile graced her lips as she affectionately touched the china one last time before closing the glass door.

Things would get better. They had to.

The front door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall and frightening Evelyn. She jumped back with a hand over her heart and looked on in shock. Great gusts of wind blew into the shop and bits of snow were scurrying through the opening. Standing in the doorway with his arms outstretched and gasping for breath was Charlie.

"Good heavens, Charlie Bucket! You scared me half to death!"

Mumbling out a quick apology, he used all of his weight against the door to fight off the wind and close it. With a resounding slam, he succeeded and began to brush the excess snow off of his clothes.

She looked at him affectionately, but still a bit miffed. "Please refrain from overly grand entrances in the future, my dear. Most of my customers are no longer spring chicks. The last thing I want to deal with is a heart attack."

Her eyes squinted a bit when Charlie remained silent. The boy was usually so talkative.

It had been three months since the day Charlie stumbled upon The Floating Leaf. Every Saturday, he had made it a point to visit Evelyn for afternoon tea. He would spend hours upon hours talking about new flavour experiments, and her past adventures around the world. He was absolutely taken with her stories and the stories of her regulars too. So it was no surprise when Saturday rolled around, and Charlie appeared in front of The Floating Leaf once again. But something was off.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" She stepped forward and held his hand gently.

He did not look up as his words were muffled under his scarf. "It's my mother. She's very ill."

Concern lit her face as she tightened her hand over his. "Oh Sweetheart. Is it serious?"

"No." He looked down at the floor and yanked off his scarf and coat, a deep frown marring his face. "The doctor said it was just a cold, and she would be fine. But she looked so frail. I've never seen her that way, even Dad was worried."

Tutting, Evelyn enveloped him in a hug. "It's okay, Charlie. Your mum is going to be just fine."

He rubbed his face into her apron, tears brimming against his eyes. It was just as he did to his mother as a young boy. The tears deepened. "I wanted to stay and help her, but Dad insisted I go out."

He sounded choked up, and her heart wrenched. The poor boy. "Don't take it personally, Charlie. Your father just didn't want you sitting around doing nothing but worrying."

He looked up, eyes still misty. "But I am anyways, just not next to her."

She smiled and gave him one more tight squeeze before gripping his shoulders and pulling him back. "How about this? You go wash up, and I'll serve us some hot chocolate and cookies. And afterwards, I'll show you how to make a very special herbal tea. Just a little something to give her an extra pep in her step and send that cold packing sooner rather than later."

Charlie's eyes widened, a questioning look upon his face. "Would you?"

Relief filled her at his hopeful gaze. "Oh yes. And if you're lucky-." She held her hand to the side of her face and whispered conspiratorially. "I'll divulge some ancient secrets I learned on my travels."

The idea seemed to work because Charlie's face brightened, and he proceeded to run down the hall towards the powder room.

She shook her head as she watched him go, a smile playing on her lips. "To be young again."

* * *

It wasn't long before they were sitting next to each other at the large counter near the cash register. Piles of jars and medium burlap sacks were lined around them. The air was thick with heady scents from all of the open containers. Charlie turned his head to the side and sneezed. Evelyn handed him a handkerchief and laughed.

"Not the most pleasant of smells, eh?"

Charlie's face was scrunched up in disgust, and it only managed to make her laugh harder.

"I know it smells something fierce, but this herb works wonders. I use it quite a bit myself when I'm feeling under the weather."

Charlie pinched his nose and smiled despite the offensive odor. The substance was moist and lumpy. It looked like blackened tobacco chew. Evelyn had put some of it into a mortar and began to pound it with a pestle. The smell worsened, and Charlie had to keep from gagging.

Quickly, Evelyn took the substance and placed it in a glass beaker with a few other ingredients. She grabbed the container and held it over a candle. As the minutes passed, the horrid smell slowly started to change into something more bearable. Charlie released his nose and sighed in relief.

The room began to smell like mint and lavender. Charlie lifted up his nose and breathed deeply.

Evelyn was concentrating on pouring the contents of the beaker into a cheesecloth satchel. Hearing her young friend, she smiled and laughed. "Better?"

"Much."

Setting the satchel down, Evelyn grabbed more jars and handed a scoop to Charlie. "I need you to add one scoop of each of these herbs to the bag, please."

Taking the small tool in his hands, he nodded his head and looked at all of the jars. "What is all of this stuff? Holding one jar up to his face, he shook it and watched the many petals flutter. This looks like flowers."

"That's because it is. It's Chamomile. Great for helping one sleep and relieve stress. You're also going to add ingredients such as catnip, sage, hyssop, and red clover."

Charlie's nose wrinkled. "Isn't catnip for cats?"

She smiled knowingly and nodded her head. "Yes, but it works wonders for people too. Don't worry Charlie, your mother isn't going to jump around and twitch like a cat. It will help her sweat out the fever."

"Oh." Taking the scoop, Charlie began adding the ingredients with a new understanding.

She continued to explain the multiple ingredients, and he couldn't help but be awed by her knowledge. He never knew so many common, household herbs could be used to help with things like a cold.

"So that's why she always puts lemon and honey in my tea?"

"Exactly." Evelyn nodded as she used a dropper to place a soft scented oil onto some of the herbs in the mortar. "Every ingredient we add helps with some ailment. Hyssop will help with any cough. Red Clover will do the same, except it can also cleanse her blood. The mint is for her nausea." She smiled softly, never taking her eyes off working. "That and it tastes good."

He bit his lip at the information. A sense of relief flooded him at the knowledge of what the tea could do for his mother, and the worry began to wash away. By the time they finished mixing all of the ingredients, the bag was three quarters of the way full. Charlie held it up to his face in wonder. "Will this really help?"

Evelyn lifted an eyebrow and smirked. "Of course. I wouldn't bother pulling together so many ingredients if I didn't believe in it. Most of them are very fresh, and some of these are not so cheap, you know."

His eyes suddenly widened in realization, and the boy began to fumble through his pockets. Evelyn furrowed her brow in confusion, but it suddenly dawned on her what he was doing. Charlie pulled out a beaten, old leather wallet from his back pocket and began to pull out some money. Catching his hand, she pushed it away and shook her head vigorously. "Oh no, Charlie. I couldn't. I made this for you as a gift."

"But Evelyn, it's-."

She shook her head and smiled. "You can make it up to me next time. Maybe buy something special for your mum after she gets better!"

He beamed up at her, true gratitude in his face. "Thank you so much, Evelyn. You're an amazing friend."

Those words warmed her heart. A friend. Charlie really was a special boy. One she was lucky to have met. Silently, she thanked whatever cosmic power that allowed the two of them to meet.

"I'll definitely get her something special next week. Maybe one of those lovely, dainty tea sets. We can celebrate her recovery and everything!"

He was excited, and it was a refreshing change in attitude compared to before. She laughed. "See? That's the spirit, Charlie. You're already doing better yourself."

"You're right. Thank you, Evelyn." And then he hugged her hard, the sudden move knocking her back slightly and causing her glasses to fall unevenly down her nose. But she didn't mind and embraced him just as hard.

"You're very welcome, sweetheart. Now, I think it best you hurry along and take that special tea to your mum. The sooner she drinks it, the sooner she can get better, and we can celebrate it."

Charlie nodded into her stomach and then, released her. He ran around the counter and grabbed his coat and scarf off of the coat rack eagerly. He opened the door, and the cold air rushed in.

Evelyn stood behind the counter, twisting a jar on the surface. She continued to smile as Charlie waved back at her, the tea satchel clutched tightly in his hand. "Thanks, Evelyn! I'll see you next week!"

Smiling in return, she waved back at him. The door slammed and silence met her.

"Stupid girl." The smile was still on her face as she scolded herself. "You should have charged him. Now what are you going to do?"

The shop was empty and so were her pockets. Sighing in defeat, Evelyn picked up a hand towel and started cleaning up the mess they had made.

"Stupid girl, indeed."

* * *

Willy Wonka looked out the window and into the dimly lit city. Smoke stacks could be seen billowing against the last remnants of the setting sun. A rhythmic tapping sound filled the air as he thumped his cane against the marble floors in thought. Charlie had been gone all day. Just as he had over the last few Saturdays. Something was different. He just couldn't put his finger on it. And that bothered the chocolatier to no end.

Ever since Charlie and his family had entered Willy's life, parts of him had changed. Leaving the factory was still a rare occurrence, but his angry outbursts and awkward interactions had lessened. But change was still hard to deal with. His normal coping mechanisms still kicked in every time something new came along. And Charlie was always there to push him forward.

Willy continued to look out the window with a confused and worried expression.

"I cannot change the direction of the wind…," he whispered softly against the window pane, eyes glassed over and distant. "But can I adjust my sails to reach my destination?"

The wind blew harshly against the window in answer, and Willy frowned. Change was coming. He could feel it.

* * *

Well, I need to start with giving credit to the paraphrased quote above. It was originally credited to Jimmy Dean. :) (not Stewart, sorry about that! Thanks Turrislucidus for giving me the heads up!)

I know a lot of people are wondering which "Wonka" I will be using. But to be honest, I intend to meld bits and pieces of each character from both films. I felt Wonka's character was more personable in the 1971 movie; whereas the background and detail were more in depth for all characters in the 2005 film. I'm hoping to express my own perceptions of Willy Wonka in future chapters. :)

Anywho, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and thank you again for all of the lovely reviews and PMs. It's always a pleasure to hear from other readers/writers on the site.


End file.
